Tufting attachment for sewing machines



April 26, 1932-l c. H. KEENEY 1,855,916

TUFTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 2, 1950 2 Shets-Sheet l r Eg' la IN VEN TOR.

AT ORNEYS.

April 26, 1932.

cH.KEENl-:Y

TUFTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 2, 1930 INVENTOR.

BY I

Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES H. KEENEY, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TOr DLTOX RUG COM- PANY, OF OSHKOSI-I, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN TUFTING ATTACHMENT Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to improvements in tufting 'attachment for sewing machines.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide atufting attachment for sew'inof machines in which the cuttinof means for severing the strand loops iscarried by the strand looping member.

A furthe-r object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines in which the strand loop severingt vide a tufting attachment for sewing machines in which a number of strand loops are held on the looper member at one time and are moved towards the oscillatory cutter carried by the'looper member and the innermost loop is severed at each reciprocation of the looper member in one direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide-a tufting attachment for sewing machines in which a newly formed strand loop is engaged and held by the looper member while the innermost loop is severed to form pilemembers during. the reciprocations 'of -the looper member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting `attachment for sewing mai chines in which the fabric supporting plate is formed with an elongated opening on each side of the needle opening to accommodate the completed pile members and permit forming lines of pile members to the right or left of the completed pile members.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines inwhich the cutting angle ofthe cutter member with relation to the strand loops may be easily varied as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines which is of simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose described.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines which while easily forming loops FOR SEWING MACHINES 1930. Serial No. 465,385.

vide a tufting attachment for sewing machinesvv which is more particularly adapted for forming tufted rugs 'with plain solid pile portions or in multi-colored designs as' desired.

' With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved tufting` attachment for sewing machines and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views Fig. l is an end elevation of a sewing `machine showing the improved tufting mechanism incorporated thereinand the looperv member in its rearward position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view on a larger scale showing the looper member in its forward position; A

Fig. 3 is a top view of the/reciprocating bar and the looper member connected thereto;

` Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional detail view ofthe looper member and connected parts; .i

Fig. 5v is a top detail view of the removable work supporting plate showing the elongated pile openings on each side of the needle open- 111 Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionall detail view of a piece of material illustrating the manner of forming the pile members, some ofv the strand loops being shown before they are severed; and

Fig. 7 is a top view of a fragmentary portion ofa completed rug.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates generally the sewing machine head comprising a base portion 2 from one portion of which extends the arm 3 having the usual drive shaft and pulley 4 journaled thereon. The thread or strand feeding means 5 and the fabric feed mechanism 6 are of usual construction and it is not necessary to further describe the same. The driving mechanism below the base portion is also of ordilne 'nary construction and incluudes -a rock shaft extending spaced arms 9 which are pivotal.

ly connected to thelooper supporting bar 10. Said bar 10 extends transversely of the base 2 and its free end portion is bifurcated as indicated by the numeral 11 to slidably embrace the cranked portion of an arm 12 adjustably mounted on the shaft- 8. A medial ortion of the looper bar is formed with a horlzontally extending flan ge 13 upon which is mounted a looper member 14 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. looper member comprises a body lportion 15 having elongated slots 15 to receive screws 16 which adjustably and detachably attach the looper member to the bar flange 13.

011e end part of the body portion of the looper member is provided with a right angularly extending arm 17, the outer portion of which is approximately parallel to the body portion and the looper bar.

As shown in Fig. 3 the inner edge of the arm 17 is substantially straight and flat for its horizontal reciprocation alongside of the needle 18 which reciprocates vertically through a needle slot 19 provided in the work supporting plate 2O forming part of the base portion 2. The needle slot 19 extends parallel to-the reciprocal movement of the looper arm 17 and is positioned there- L above.

through the material forms the pile `.of the rug made.

The outer beveled to permit easy entrance between the needle side and the Ystrand in forming the loops, and to prevent the loops from s ipping off the end of the looper arm when said,

arm is reciprocated gearwardly, a shoulder 22vis formed on said outer`side adjacent the beveled portion, as shown in Fig.v3. The outer opposite end portion of the looper arm is provided with a longitudinally extendingA elongated slot or o ening 23 into which extends the cutting e ge of an oscillatory cutter 24:. Said cutter is of slotted formation and is adjustably connected to a bell crank lever 25 by a screw 26, and the bell crank lever isy in turn p'ivotally connected to the looper supporting bar 10 by a pivot screw 27. A coiled spring 28 connected to the short arm 25 of the bell crank lever is connected at its other end to the looper bar 10 to yieldingly hold the short arm'bearing against a stop member 29 projecting from a frame portion so that as the looper bar 10 reciprocates the stop member will cause the cutterto os-` cillate vertically inthe slot 23 and succes- Said freeend of the looper arm issively sever the strand loops moving into its path of movement. The cutter is placed at such an angle that the edge thereof will cut with a drawing movement to extend the cutting stroke to approximately the length of the cutting edge and thus prolong the life of the cutter. A stop pin 29 limits the upper movement of the bell crank lever 25.

The numeral 30 indicates the conventional fabric feeding foot which yieldingly presses downwardly on the fabric and intermittently advances the fabric as the sewing progresses in the usual manner. Any desirable form of feed may be used.

The work supporting plate 20 is also provided with elongated slots or openings 31 positioned on opposite sides of the needle slot 19 and arallel thereto to accommodate rows of tuftmg or pilemembers on either side of the line being stitched, thus permitting the lines of tufting to be formed close together. The plate is provided with openings 32 for the reception'of screws or other means for securing the plate on the base portion 2.

To brace t-he lower end of the needle when in its lower position afixed guide member 33 is positioned below the looper arm and is provided with a vertically extending groove 34 in its'outer face, the three side walls of which closelyv engage three sides of the needle and hold the needle firmly in position. The upper portions of the walls forming the slot l. are tapered outwardly as indicated by the numeral-345130 leasily guidethe needle into the groove.

In operation, the' needle 18 having the strand threaded therethrough reciprocates downwardly through the pieces'of fabric and the needle slot of the plate 20 and at the lower end' of its reciprocation' it will enter the groove of the guide member 33 to prevent any llateral flexure of the needle. The upwardreciprocation of the needle will cause th needle strand to slacken and at `the same time the looper bar will move forwardly and its' looper arm 17 will move between the strand and the needle to a point where the looper arm shoulder has ypassed beyond the strand so that on the return reciprocation of the looper bar the strand loop will be held by the looper arm and withdrawn from the path of movement of the needle. The foregoing is repeated until a sufficient number of loops are threaded on the looper arm, usually three or more, to prevent formed loops from' being withdrawn fromthe fabric by the sewing tension of the strand.

When a suficient number of loops have been formed around the looper arm 17 the innermost or the first loop formed of the loops on the arm has been moved inwardly or rearwardly lby the rearward feed of the fabric toa position around the slotted portion of the looper arm, and the cutter in its oscillation in the arm slot will successively sever each innermost loop with a drawing cut. The pile members thus formed move rearwardly in the needle slot and when they reach the end of the slot they are withdrawn therefrom by the rearward movement of the fabric. v

When the cutting operation is completed the looper arm, which is at its rearmost position, will then start its forward reciprocation and the operations described will be repeated.

In forming the loops on the looper arm the shoulder 22 thereof will prevent the loops from accidently slipping off said arm during the reciprocations of the arm.

The screw and slotted connection between the cutter and the bell crank lever permits adjusting the angle of the cutter to increase or diminish the depth of the cut and also the drawing angle of the cut.

The length of the loop can be regulated by substituting a looperbar having the looper arm on a lower plane for the one illustrated or adjusting the arm 12 to swing the looper arm to a higher or lower plane.y

It will be further understood that a num-v ber of tufting attachments may be mounted on the same machine to permit sewing a plurality of lines or rows of stitches at the same time.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the tufting attachment is of ver simple construction and is the purpose described.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines havin a reciprocating needle for penetrating a 'abrio and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, a transversely reciprocal member positioned below the fabric and having a shouldered arm which engages the strand to form loops below the fabric, the shoulder of the arm preventing rearward movement of the loops while being cut, a utter carried by the reciprocal member and operable to sever some `but not all of the loops on the shouldered arm. at any one time to form pile members, and means for reciprocating the needle and the transversermember.

2. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric bythe needle, a transversely reciprocal member positioned below the fabric and having a shouldered arm which engages the strand to form loops below the fabric, the Yshoulder of the arm preventing rearward movement of the loops while being cut, a cutter carried bythe reciprocal member and operable by'engag-ement'.with a fixed. means for severing some but not all of the loops on the shouldered arm at any one time toform pile members,

well adapted for reciprocal means preventing rearward movement of the loops while being cut, a cutter carried by the reciprocal means for severing some butI not all of the loops on the reciprocal means at any one time to form pile mem.

bers, a fixed means momentarily engaged by the lower end portion of the needle for laterally reinforcing said needle, and means for reciprocating the needle.

I 4. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating and carrying a strand through a fabric, a transversely extending reciprocal shouldered member positioned below the fabric and having a shouldered arm which engages the strand to form loops below the fabric, the shoulder of the reciprocal member' preventing rearward movement of the loops while being cut, a pivoted cutter carried by the reciprocal member for severing some but not all ofthe loops on the shouldered arm at any one time to form pile members, and means for reciprocating the needle y and the transverse member.

5. A.tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetratmg and carrymg a strand through a fabric, a member below the fabric and reciprocal transversely with relation to the path of movement of the needle and hav-` ing a shouldered arm which enters strand loops formed by upward reciprocations of the needle, the shoulder of the arm preventing rearward movement of the loops while being cut, a cutter pivotally carried by the reciprocal member for severing some but not all of the loops on the shouldered arm at Vany one time, means engaged by the cutter for causing its cuttingoscillation, and means for reciprocating the needle and the transverse member.

6. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating and carrying a strand successively through a fabric, allooper member below the fabric and movable transversely of the path of movement of the needle for cessively through a fabric, a looper member below the fabric and having an arm provided with a shoulder adjacent its outer end for successively engaging the strand loops formed by the upward reciprocations of the needle and for holding a plurality of the loops at the same time, and means carried by the looper member for successively severing the innermost loopJ on the arm to form pile members.

8. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating and carrying a strand successively through a fabric, a looper member below the fabric and having a slotted arm provided with a shoulder adjacent its outer end for successively engaging and holding the strand loops formed by the upward reciprocations of the needle, said loops workinglA inwardly to extend around the slotted portion of the arm, means carried by the looper member for oscillating in the slot of the arm for successively severing the innermost loop which extends across the slotted portion of the arm to form pile members,-

and means for reciprocating the needle and the looper member.

9. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating and carrying a strand successively through a fabric, a looper memberbelow the fabric and having a slotted arm provided with a shoulder adjacent its outer end for successively engaging and holding the strand loops formed by the upward reciprocations of the needle, said loops work-I ing inwardly to extend around the slotted portion of the arm, an oscillatory cutter ,pivotally mounted on the looper member and entering the slotted portion, of the arm for successively severing the innermost loops which extend across the slotted portion of the arm to form pile members, means engaged by the cutter for causing it to oscillate, and means for reciprocating the needle and the looper member.

10. A sewing machine lhaving-the .usual needle and meansvfo'r guiding a strand to the needle, a fabric supporting plate having a needle opening and an`elongated opening on each side of the needle opening for receiving an adjacent. line of completed pile members on either side of 'the needle opening, the needle reciprocating to successively carry the strand through the frabricv and the plate needle opening, the upward reciprocation of the needle causing the strand to slacken-on one side of the needle, a looper member having a shouldered means below the plate openings movable to successively pass between the slacked' portions of thestrand and the needle to form and hold successive loops, means carried by the looper member adjacent the shouldered means for successively severing the innermost loo p on theshoulderedeneans to form pile mem ers, and means for recip-` rocating the needle and the looper member. 11. A sewing machine having the usual needle and means for guiding a strand to the needle, a fabric supporting plate having a needle opening and an elongated opening on each side of the needle opening for receiving an adjacent line of completed pile members on either side of the needle opening, the needle reciprocating to successively carry the strand through the fabric and the plate needle opening, the upward reciprocation ofthe needle causing the strand to slacken on one side of the needle, a transversely extending reciprocal bar positioned below the plate and having a projectin slotted arm provided' with a shoulder adjacent its free end, said arm during its forward reciprocation successively passing between the slacked portions of the strand and the needle to form and hold successive strand loo s, the inner ones of which extend transverse y of the arm slot, a. cutter pivotally connected to the reciprocal bar and oscillating through the arm slot to sever the innermost strand loop on the arm and form pile members when the needle is in an upper position, a stop member -coacting with and causing said cutter to oscillate, and means for reciprocating the needle and the reciprocal bar.

12.A sewing machine having thel usual needle and means for guiding a strand to the needle, a fabric supporting plate having a needle opening and an elongated opening on each side of the needle opening for receiving an adjacent line of completed pilemembers ing, the upward reciprocation of the needle reciprocating to successively carry the strand through the fabric and the plate needle opening, the upward reciprocation of the needle causingthe strand to slacken on oneside of the needle, a' transversely extending reciprocal bar positioned below the plate and having a projecting. slotted arm provided lwith a shou der adjacent its free end, said arm during its forward reciprocation successively passing between the slacked portions of the strand and the needle to form and hold successive strand loops, the inner ones of which pivotally connected to the reciprocal bar and oscillating through the arm slot to sever the innermoststrand loop on the arm and form pile members when the needle is in an upper position, a stop member 'coacting with and causing said cutter to oscillate, a grooved means momentarily engaged by the lower end portion of the needle for laterally reinforcing the needle, and means for reciprocating ethe needle and the reciprocal bar.

13. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a. fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by tle needle, a transversely reciprocal member positioned Abelo'wthe fabric and having an lever, means for nismfor Sewing machines,

outwardly extending angular arm, the arm having a vertical longitudinally extending slot opening rearwardly and a shoulder adj acent its forward end, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on the reciprocal member, a stop member engaging one arm'of the bell crank yieldingly holding the bell crank lever bearing against the stop member, a cutter carried by the ball crank lever and having its cutting edge extending for oscillation within the slot of the bar, and means for reciprocating the needle and the reciprocal member.

14. A tufting machine attachment mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a transverse reciprocal member having an angularly extending arm provided with an elongated slot in its rear portion and a loop holding shoulder adjacent its free end portion, and a cutter fulcrumed on and carried by the reciprocal member and oscillating in the slot to sever loops formed therearound.

15. A tufting machine attachment mechacomprising a transverse horizontally reciprocal member having an outwardly and forwardly extend- (ing arm provided with an elongated longitudinally extending slot in its rear end portion of its outer part and an outwardly pro- Jeeting shoulder adjacent its forward end, said forward end portion being tapered on its free end, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on the reciprocal member and having a cutter which reciprocates in the arm slot, and a spring for yieldingly holding the bell crank lever in a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

CHARLES H. KEENEY. 

